Hanauma Bay Hosts Summer Education Series

A three-part educational program focused on ocean and shoreline ecosystems kicks off tomorrow at Hanauma Bay. "Te Moana Nui," which will profile the different ocean zones around the bay, continues the spirit of World Oceans Day, which was on Monday.

The events are offered by the Hanauma Bay Education Program from UH Sea Grant, which is already tasked with teaching the bay's 800,000 annual visitors about its fragile marine resources and how to conduct themselves on its famous reef.

"Te Moana Nui" is free for Hawaii residents and will take place on the second Saturday of June, July, and August.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, marine scientists and volunteer docents will spotlight the nearshore zone at Hanauma Bay, which includes tide pools, docks, and coral reefs. There will be hands-on and interactive learning activities for all ages, plus arts and crafts for kids.

Next month, on July 11, the second event will focus on the open ocean, and the final event on Aug. 8 will cover the deep sea.

“We wanted to educate people about the ocean zones to bring awareness of the diversity of habitats in our ocean," explained Mahealani Kaneshiro-Pineiro, outreach specialist with the education program and organizer of the summer series. "By featuring a different ocean zone each month, we will be able to explore and learn about these amazing places with fun educational activities.”

All events will be held in the Hanauma Bay Visitor Center. Admission to the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is free for Hawaii residents ($7.50 for non-residents), although parking costs $1 for everyone. Of course, Saturdays can be very busy days at the bay, meaning the parking lot can fill quickly.

Can't make it to the bay but still want to soak up information on the marine life that call it home? There's an app for that. The Hanauma Fish [iTunes link] app for iOS offers full color images, names (English, Hawaiian, and scientific), and descriptions of the fishes most commonly viewed by snorkelers and swimmers at Hanauma Bay. Based on a popular, $12 book for snorkelers, the app costs $1.99.

(Of course, as I blogged in 2012, you can also take a virtual tour for free via Google Maps... both on land and underwater.)

For more information, visit the official Hanauma Bay Education Program website at HanaumaBayEducation.org, connect with the program on Facebook, call (808) 397-5840, or email hanauma@hawaii.edu.